The Last Days of Judas Iscariot: A Play

by Stephen Adly Guirgis

If my son is in Hell, then there is no Heaven—because if my son sits in Hell, there is no God.

Cunningham—Judas Iscariot committed the one unforgivable sin. Everybody knows it— EL-FAYOUMY:—The sin of despair!

And I detected sadness in him. Paralyzing, immobilizing, overwhelming sadness. His sadness ran through him like a river that had frozen up and died and no one lived there no more. After a while, I didn’t know what else to do, so I thought I’d just hold him in my arms for like a minute, warm him up before I left.

Defense calls Sigmund Freud, Your Honor.

Mister Satan, you’ve had a long-standing feud with God, correct? SATAN: No. I love God. CUNNINGHAM: You love God? SATAN: Very much. God made me.

JESUS: Will you feed my lambs, Judas? … Will you take care of my little sheep? … Will you feed my lambs?! JUDAS: “Feed your lambs”? JESUS: You know exactly what I’m asking you. JUDAS: Go away! JESUS: If you don’t love me, Judas—then you’re gonna have to look me in my eyes and say it. JUDAS: I don’t love you. JESUS: If you don’t love me, then why are you here?

JUDAS: That you didn’t love me. JESUS: I do love you. JUDAS: Why … didn’t you make me good enough … so that you could’ve loved me? JESUS: … Please take my hands, Judas. Please. JUDAS: Where are they? JESUS: Right here. JUDAS: I can’t see them. JESUS: They’re right here. JUDAS: Where are you going?! JESUS: I’m right here. JUDAS: Don’t leave me! JESUS: I’m here. JUDAS: I can’t hurt … JESUS: I love you, Judas. JUDAS: I can’t … JESUS: Please stay. JUDAS: I can’t hurt … JESUS: Please love me, Judas. JUDAS: I can’t. JUDAS is frozen again.